Salt-Baked Chicken (Beggar's Chicken)
Whole chicken baked in a salt crust or clay (Hakka-style). Retains moisture, infuses delicate flavors, and makes for an aromatic centerpiece.
11 ingredients
8 steps
Ingredients
- 1Whole chicken (1.5kg)
- 2Coarse sea salt (2–3kg for salt crust method)
- 3Shaoxing wine (2 tbsp)
- 4Sesame oil (1 tbsp)
- 5Light soy sauce (1 tbsp)
- 6Ginger (4 slices)
- 7Spring onion (2)
- 8Star anise (2)
- 9Sand ginger powder (1 tsp)
- 10White pepper (1/2 tsp)
- 11Lotus leaves (2–3, soaked, for Beggar's Chicken variation)
Instructions
- 1Rub chicken inside and out with Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, sand ginger powder, and white pepper. Stuff cavity with ginger, spring onion, and star anise.
- 2Leave to marinate for 2–4 hours or overnight.
- 3For salt-baked version: wrap chicken tightly in parchment paper and two layers of foil.
- 4Heat coarse salt in a wok until very hot.
- 5Make a bed of hot salt in a clay pot, place wrapped chicken on top, cover with remaining hot salt.
- 6Cover and cook over medium heat for 45–60 minutes until cooked through.
- 7For Beggar's Chicken: wrap marinated chicken in lotus leaves, then seal in a thick clay or dough crust before baking at 180°C for 2 hours.
- 8Serve by cracking open the crust at the table.